Preparing the right school lunch and snack foods is a challenge parents face at the end of each summer. Meals Matter www.mealsmatter.org is a free web site that can help take the guesswork out of what to prepare for lunch. The site's Back-to-School section contains advice for parents including lunch and snack recipes, nutrition information for kids and a feature called Ask the Dietitian.
"Parents have a huge responsibility to make sure what their kids eat is nutritious and at the same time, tasteful," states Debbie Allen, R.D. and one of Meals Matter's Ask the Dietitian experts. "A little planning and knowing what their kids like to eat will greatly reduce the stress of making lunches."
Besides breakfast, lunch is the second most important meal for school-aged children and provides one-third of their daily calories. One of the easiest ways parents can know if they're packing a nutritious lunch is to follow the food guide pyramid. A mixture of whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and lean lunchmeats provide a variety of lunch possibilities.
Prepackaged foods are a time-saver but Allen cautions parents to read the nutrient label and ingredients first. "Fats, trans fats, salt, added sugars and high calories are found in many pre-packaged snacks. Choose healthier options that provide sustenance and not empty calories."
The quantity of food packed is also important since portion size is another factor that contributes to overweight kids. One snack bag of chips may contain two or more servings. Pre-measuring items such as pretzels or cookies into the correct serving size shows kids just h
'"/>
Contact: Schaelene Rollins
srollins@dairycouncilofca.org
916-263-3560
Dairy Council of California
20-Aug-2003